Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-10-08
TEARING UP TITLES.


If blood does not flow in the indem-
nifty land region of Dakota, it will not
be the fault of an administration that
has steadily and systematically sought
to build itself q political monument IN
the east by tearing down the humble
homes of settlers in the west. Dakota,
which has no voice in national affairs,
and 10 tn erefore unable to resist the in
cursions of the political guerillas IN and
about the general land Office at Wash
ington, has been selected as the field
wherein men of the Sparks order may
manufacture regulations which will aid
their political aspirations among those
totally ignorant of the condition OF
affairs in this territory. There is a pop.
ular yet merely superficial belief In the
eastern states that all western settlers
and land owners are engaged in the il.
legal requirement OF "vast tracts OF
the public domain" The present so
called "reform" administration has used
its every effort to encourage this belief,
and has set itself up as the divine
instrument which is to detect and punish
these alleged land frauds. Exon
gresham Sparks, q narrow, biEgoted
and self.conceited man, who knows
nothing about the conditions surround
ing the people Of this western country,
was placed at the head of land matters
and given unlimited power to deal as he
might see fit with the millions of peo-
pie who have taken advantage of the
%benehcient land laws and are trying to
build up homes for themselves and
their posterity. 1t is safe to say that
in North Dakota alone W a million
dollars have been spent by poor claim
ants in combating the wild and .dema-
gogic policy Of Mr.. Sparks. Thousands
of titles are now hung up in the general
land office by order of the commissioner,
and Sparks will be dead and forgot
ten before the clouds lowering over
these titles are removed.
Following closely upon these repeated
outrages against Individual settlers on
government lands ZONES a new RE-
form" enterprise which must inevitably
lead to serious consequences. Werefer
to the indemnity land matter, in which
the general land Office has made a
wholesale attack upon the vested rights
of five to ten thousand people. Two
belts of land, each ten miles wide, run
ming east and west through Dakota were
granted to the Northern Pacific railroad
some ten or fifteen yeers ago. This
land was to be used by the railroad
company in lieu of such lands as may
have been settled upon in the original
grants to that company. The railroad
company, assuming its title to the ten
mile indemnity to be perfect, sold vast
areas Of it to those having the money
to buy. Deeds were duly given by the
company and duly recorded by the
purchasers. Extensive improvements
were made upon the lands. Wide
stretches of the fertile soil we're placed
under cultivation. Houses and barns
were erected. wells dug and fences
built, until the eastern portion of these
indemnity belts nov have the appear
ance of endless and priceless gardens
Tie purchases have been made in gooe
faith and the soil being the best tina
the sur shines upon, the improvement
are naturally Of a permanent and sub
~stantial character. The attact Of thu
land Office is upon these innocent pur
chasers. Both belts have been thrown
open 70 settlement under the land laws
and today hundreds Of shacks may bt
seen on many of the highly improves
farms of the Red River Valley. Thu
an irrepressible conflict is inaugurate'
between the rightful owner who hav
made the Improvements and a lot of ad
venturers who seek to profit by the Ia
Dor Of others. Trouble must certainl,